The Chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), Deputy President Paul Mashatile, will deliver the keynote address at the national World TB Day commemorative event on Monday, 24 March 2025.
World TB Day is commemorated annually on the 24th of March to raise public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and highlight efforts to eliminate the disease.
The day is also designated to highlight the devastating health, social and economic impact of TB.
During the event on Monday, the Deputy President will also launch the National End TB Campaign at the Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre in Gamalakhe Township, Ugu District, KwaZulu-Natal.
According to the Presidency, South Africa is one of the countries most affected by TB and remains the leading cause of death in the country, claiming approximately 56 000 lives each year, with 54% of these deaths among people living with HIV.
This year’s official country theme for World TB Day is “Yes! You and I Can End TB – Commit, Invest, Deliver".
“This is a clarion call for leaders to champion TB efforts in their respective constituencies and encourage individual action from all South Africans to contribute to the national effort against TB.“
The Deputy President’s Office said the significance of this year’s commemoration will be marked by the launch of the National End TB campaign designed to substantially reduce TB incidence and mortality in South Africa by 2035.
This campaign will be carried out in phases, beginning with a focus on case finding and linking patients to care in the year 2025/26.
The campaign aims to diagnose 250 000 new TB cases by 2025/26 through targeted testing of five million people.
This will be accomplished by implementing Accelerated Targeted Universal TB Testing (TUTT) to reach individuals living with HIV and household contacts with confirmed TB cases.
The Deputy President will be joined by the Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Premier of KwaZulu-Natal Thamsanqa Ntuli, SANAC Civil Society Chairperson Solly Nduku, Chairperson of the SANAC Private Sector Forum Mpumi Zikalala, and SANAC CEO Dr Thembi Xulu.
They will also be joined by representatives from development partners inclusive of the United Nations agencies, United States government agencies, research entities, civil society movements and the private sector. – SAnews.gov.za
